Discussion: DOJ Threatens To Subpoena Sanctuary Cities That Can't Prove Fed Cooperation

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Officials said the places have been previously warned that they need to provide information about their policies to be eligible to receive grants that pay for everything from bulletproof vests to officer overtime.

Yes, of course. Let’s hold police hostage. We care so very much about our first responders. But if we have to keep safety equipment from them in order to get our way on a different political matter…well, that’s how we roll.

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“Defenders of sanctuary city practices say they actually improve public safety by promoting trust among law enforcement and immigrant communities and reserving scarce police resources for other, more urgent crime-fighting needs.”

But they’re missing the whole point.

The goal of Trump’s immigration “policy” isn’t to improve public safety.

It’s to provide a central, organizing principle.

For a racist, immigrant-bashing party of brownie-hating Fox zombies and the demagogues they elect.

Scapegoats aren’t gonna create themselves, you know.

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Shorter DOJ to so-called Sanctuary Cities: Get with the pogrom, or else!

A hostage is a hostage.

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The GOP can’t die fast enough.

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And if crime goes up, hey, all the better, 'cause the cause won’t matter: fear’s the best possible marketing tool for that central, organizing principle.

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I would think it would be more appropriate to rename themselves as the National Socialist American Workers’ Party.

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“Guilty, until proven innocent!”

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I am so thankful that the party of States’ rights is steadfast in its opposition to the threat of an unchecked, all powerful central government.

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Oooo … my turn to stir the pot ! …

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Does the DoJ have subpoena power?

Court’s typically issue subpoenas at the request of parties to civil and criminal cases. A grand jury can subpoena witnesses and documents but the Subpoena is actually issued by the clerk of the court on behalf of the court.

Some legislative committees have subpoena power if granted by the law creating the committee, but even then, if the subpoena is not honored, the committee (including Congress) must go to court to enforce the subpoena.

So,… under what authority would the DoJ issue these subpoenas?

[Quote] Officials said the places have been previously warned that they need to provide information about their policies to be eligible to receive grants that pay for everything from bulletproof vests to officer overtime.[/Quote] And do the laws/rules governing these grants actually say that or is the Trump DoJ blowing smoke out their asses again? And if they don’t actually say that what is to stop cities from responding to a subpoena demanding cities say if they have turned over all information with a simple “no we haven’t turned over all information on that topic, we don’t have to turn over all information on that topic and go fuck yourself.”

I seem to recall that when this threat was first made last year, that the answer to your question is “no”.

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That was my understanding, yet the AP makes no mention of that in the story. Seems like a rather relevant detail to just gloss over.

This is the problem with modern journalism and the 24 hour news cycle. No context or depth.

“Under what authority” should always be asked but almost never is asked.

I raised this issue with the subpoena of ‘sanctuary cities’ too. Under what authority would these DoJ subpoenas be issued?

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